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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22412863">Hay Bitches.</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mace_fluff_button/pseuds/Mace_fluff_button'>Mace_fluff_button</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Umbrella Academy (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - No Powers, M/M, References to Drugs</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-01-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-01-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 14:48:37</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,848</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22412863</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mace_fluff_button/pseuds/Mace_fluff_button</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Dave is your average guy, maybe a little old fashioned and conservative in his way, especially for a gay man, but he's doing alright, untill a sudden encounter with a strange man puts him on a downward spiral that has him questioning his own sanity. Is this fate, or some cruel game played by a higher power?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Dave/Klaus Hargreeves</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>29</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Hay Bitches.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Okay, so I know I have another work for this ship that I'm needing to finish, but I'm in writer's block hell at the moment so it's slow going. I had written this to be another chapter fic or even a series, but then I got caught up in other ideas and just had this sitting in my drafts, so I thought might as well post it as a one shot, it was already basically finished. </p><p>Comments and constructive criticism is always appreciated, sorry in advance if I missed any errors.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dave was having a completely normal evening, strolling down the sidewalk on his way to the corner store to grab a gallon of milk and some snacks for the road. A very normal, everyday thing, for his very normal, everyday life, which is why he did not anticipate the crazy, eccentrically dressed man, running full speed in his direction. </p><p>"HAY BITCHES!" </p><p>  Dave barely had time to locate the source of the loud and vulgar exclamation before said source was toppling into him. He went down with an oof and subsequent groan. The person on top of him, a thin man with wild black curls and bold charcoal lined green eyes that were staring into his own. He felt almost hypnotized with them, they were so deep for such a vibrant color. </p><p>   He laid there, silent and awestruck by the strange man on top of him. Said strange man was just as speechless as he was, long eyelashes blinking owlishly down at him. The two of them perplexed by the sudden sense of Deja Vu that was swirling between them. Before a word could be said by either one of them, a police officer jogged over and grabbed the man by his elbow, hauling him off of Dave. He watched in amusement as an impressive assortment of snacks fell out of his coat as he was pulled to his feet. Dave took a guess they were his reason for running to begin with. </p><p>  "Come on, you're under arrest for shoplifting." The police officer barked out, quickly securing the man in handcuffs. </p><p>.  "Hay, aren't you gonna at least read me my miranda rights?" The man seemed way too relaxed for the predicament he was in. The officer rolled his eyes, scoffing as the man just stood there, handcuffed and snickering at having irritated him so easily. </p><p>   "I'm sure you know those quite well, son, but if it'll make you happy-"</p><p>   "It will." </p><p>   The officer grit his teeth and Dave, still sitting on his ass in the middle of the sidewalk, barely held in a laugh as he watched the interaction.</p><p>  "You are under arrest for shoplifting, everything you say and do will be held against you in the Court of law." The man was quickly carted away while the officer droned out the familiar spiel you saw more often on television then real life. The man, with the biggest shit eating grin on his face, flashed Dave a wink, before finally being shoved towards the parked police car.</p><p>   "I'll see you around cutie!" He called out and Dave broke, laughing like he hasn't laughed in a long while. Feeling as high as the man, who now had his face smashed against the police car's window, fogging the glass and writing 'call me' through the condensation, most likely was. He laughed until the car was down the street. He laughed till it turned the corner and was completely out of sight and he was left with nothing but the remints of his earlier insanity. Little half chuckles bursting out of him sporadically, but coming down non the less and what settled over him after it, was an overwhelming feeling of grief and sorrow and just raw heartache and he had no idea where it was coming from. </p><p>   It felt like he was mourning his grandfather all over again, a great man he said goodbye to not ten years ago. He was his best friend for as long as Dave had known him; his parents not being very present in his youth since their divorce. His grandfather had practically raised him in their place and when he passed, Dave never really recovered from the hollowness he'd left behind in him. What he felt right now, was so similar, like the moment he bumped into that man, a part of him he didn't know was empty to begin with, had seemingly filled so full that he couldn't deny its existence, then when he left, it was carved out all over again.<br/>
It was...painful. Dave felt an actual honest to god pain in his chest. </p><p>    He didn't even realize he was crying until he noticed the passing people staring at him. Finally coming back to himself, Dave got up from the sidewalk and rubbed a hand over his face, feeling the wetness of his tears and quickly drying them over his pant leg. He looked around a moment, making awkward eye contact with the few pedestrians that stuck around to gawk at him, he shook his head and turned on his heel to speed walk his way home. His original erend for milk completely forgotten.</p><p>  That night he smoked a couple cigarettes and drank a beer or two more than he usually did on a weekday and just thought. A sense of melancholy hanging over him as he mulled over what had happened on that sidewalk. He didn't understand what had come over him, the way his emotions just switched so suddenly. He ruminated and reasoned with himself of what it all meant the entire night. Eventually he nodded off, still sat in his living room recliner, his last cigarette smoldering in the ashtray across from him and his third beer half finished and forgotten on the floor to the side of his chair.</p><p>    The next morning, Dave woke to the blaring screech of his alarm. He swung his arm out to grab his phone from off of his bedside table but only grasped at air. His eyes scrunched in confusion, then they opened and he realized he was staring up at his living room ceiling. He never made it to bed last night, he was still in his recliner and his phone was on the coffee table next to the ashtray. He took a moment to adjust to the daylight illuminating the room through his blinds. </p><p>    Turning off his alarm, he got up, joints clicking and his neck aching with the obvious kink that sleeping in his recliner had given it. He slept past seven AM, meaning he only had an hour to be ready for work. He didn't have time to cook himself breakfast, he'd have to settle for a quick bowl of cereal. Shuffling into the kitchen, he opened the fridge and was greeted with its sparse contents and more strikingly, it's complete absence of milk. </p><p>     "Oh yeah." He croaked, scratching his head as the memories of yesterday returned to him. His mind filing with images of black lined green eyes, wild inky curls and secret kisses being shared in the secluded corners of a bar. His mouth tasted like whisky and MRE ice cream. His lips quirked up in a fond smile at the memory, then they fell into a frown, cause that didn't make sense. He'd only just met the man yesterday, not even met, they collided and the guy flirted with him while being arrested for stealing from a liquor store. Shutting the fridge door with a little more force then he was meaning to, he decided to skip breakfast all together.</p><p>          He stood in front of his bathroom mirror, splashing his face with water in an effort to wake himself up. "You're just a little tired still and probably hungover, it's fine Dave, you're fine, now get it together."- his reflection didn't look too convinced, but he couldn't waste anymore time on another pep talk; he needed to get ready for work. Finally showered, dressed and mostly sane as far as he could tell, he was out the door, he'd worry about it later and maybe by then, the weird feelings would have gone away. </p><p> </p><p>___________</p><p>   The weird feelings did not go away, Dave would go as far as to say they got worse and even weirder. His coworker had been walking around, talking about his recently deceased great uncle who had been a veteran and showing pictures of the man while retelling stories about his uncle's time overseas in the military. He didn't remember what war it was, Dave didn't want to listen, the words veterian and army weighing heavy on him for no real reason. </p><p>      A few days ago Dave would have been intrigued by the stories, but today, he just wasn't in the mood. Everyone else at work seemed to notice as well, a few people stopping by his desk to try and 'cheer him up' or just figure out why 'Dave, the most optimistic guy of the entire firm, was in such a sour mood' as his colleagues and fellow editor, Hazel had put it. They were good friends, besides the generational gap and differences in romantic slash sexual preferences, they got along. Dave having been considered an old soul all his life, had a way with connecting to the unlikeliest of people, both old and young. </p><p>   "A guy can't have an off day Hazel?" He swiveled in his rolling chair to face his buddie's side of the cubical. Hazel huffed out an amused snort, smirking and shaking his head. He supposed Hazel could easily see through his act of nonchalants, but he also wasn't the kind of guy to press a matter for the sake of his curiosity. </p><p>   "Agnes is trying out a new vegan pie recipe tonight. She says she needs a new taste tester since I'm biased." Hazle never found a way to stop blushing whenever he spoke of his wife, he always had the softest look in eyes as his cheeks instantly became rosey the moment he spoke her name. </p><p>     Dave was not an envious kind of guy, he was easy going and always grateful for the things he had, but after meeting Hazel and his wife and seeing their commitment to each other, how deep their love so obviously was, well, Dave could admit for once in his life that he envied it. He envied what Hazel had with Agnes. Just a small amount of time spent in the couple's presence could convince the toughest of skeptics that soulmates did indeed exist. </p><p>   "Ah, I'll have to rain check for today, i'v got some errands to run after work.", Dave told him to send Agnes his regards, to which Hazel nodded and offered to ask again tomorrow and the rest of the work day was spent in relative silence.<br/>
Dave's head however was on full volume, his mind always finding a way to go back to the man from yesterday. Images of events he'd never been to, and feelings of nostalgia and sadness gradually welling up inside him. </p><p>    ________<br/>
Suffice it to say, it was a bad day for Dave. He didn't get his usual amount of work done and now that it was the end of the week, he had two days to be alone with nothing but his thoughts. He was starting to get a little bit scared. Of course, he had his theories, but the ones that made even a little sense were just too outlandish to seriously consider. So far he had a top three that were maybe, maybe the slightest bit plausible. </p><p>THEORY ONE- when he got knocked over by the strange man, Dave actually hit his head super hard and was currently in a coma somewhere hallucinating all of this.</p><p>THEORY TWO- The man was an extraterrestrial/slash time traveler and they'd actually met before, ie. their romantic encounter at the bar, explaining why the man was so quick to flirt with him and that the majority of Dave's previous memories of him had been whipped, like a 'Men In Black' type deal. </p><p>And finally, THEORY THREE-  The man and Dave had met before, but in a past life and their collision the day before had been the catalyst to trigger said past life memories. </p><p>    All three of them, completely hypothetical and very much a stretch. Dave's life wasn't some SIFY film and honestly, if his life were to be a film at all, then he'd very much prefer a romantic comedy, cause he hasn't had much luck in the dating game lately. Not to say that was entirely his fault, he just was too much of an old soul for some people's liking. </p><p>    He's always been old fashioned guy and liked to do things the traditional way, pair that with being a gay malinial in liberal New York, well, he could never really get anywhere past hook ups and short lived relationships. He wasn't a villain for his views, but most people would disagree. So what if he liked being the provider in a relationship, he had a good paying job and enjoyed spoiling his partners, but at the same time, he didn't want to be some sugar daddy either. He wanted the emotional and domestic aspect too, not exchange his hard earned money for sex and fake interest. He always knew when they were pretending too and when he tried to explain what he was wanting, they always got mad. Called him an asshole and said what he was looking for was a housewife before storming off, Dave's fancy gifts still clutched in their hands as they cursed him out the whole way through the door.<br/>
So, he's given up for the most part, deleted all of his dating apps and stopped going to gay bars except for the rare occasions he's ecpescially horny 'or really, just missing physical contact all together' and has since dedicated his time to work and not much else.  </p><p>     Though odd and increasingly troubling, his day has not been all too different from the others. He went to work, drove home and now he's going to pick up milk from the liquor store, again. He's positive he'll actually get into the shop this time, sans crazy shoplifters with pretty green eyes and an outlandish senses of humor running into him. He grimaced thinking about the man from yesterday. How did Dave know what kind of sense of humor the man had? He really couldn't say, but he'd been getting little tidbits of information like that all day long. Nigglings in the back of his mind telling him he knew the man well and that every first assumption Dave made about him was most likely right. </p><p>    Like that the man probably liked his coffee extra sweet, or that he was one of those people that naturally ran cold and how he laughed during scary movies but practically pissed himself if he heard a noise in the dark. Strangely specific things that would pop into his head out of nowhere. He felt like he knew this man, but he didn't even know his name. </p><p>   He really didn't know his name. Not even a roundabout idea of what it could be. He knew... supposably 'knew' all these other things, but didn't have an inkling as to what his name might be. For some reason that frustrated him beyond belief and the fact he was so frustrated, believe it or not, frustrated him even more. </p><p>   All day he's been obsessing over this guy, a total stranger, albeit a pretty one, but still a stranger that Dave had no rhyme or reason to care about, but he does. He cares so much that he felt nauseous just worrying about the guy. He was most likely in a jail cell now, having who knows what done to him, by some tall muscly thug with tattoos and numerous venereal diseases and Dave was here buying milk.  </p><p>    His hands started to shake and his pulse pounded, he could feel his heart thumping a mile a minute while his vision blurred in and out of focus. A panic attack, he concluded to himself. He'd never had one before, but he guessed this was what one might feel like. The carton of milk slipped out of his hand, falling and spilling all over his shoes, but he couldn't registered it over the roaring in his ears. He slowly sank to the floor, no longer feeling steady on his feet, his hands slid into his hair and gripped onto the strands for dear life.</p><p>     Oh God, he actually is panicking and why shouldn't he be? He was buying milk for God's sakes, while his boyfriend was alone and scared and being sodomised by filthy criminals. A woman walked towards him, a funny look on her face as she came onto his frantic crouched state. </p><p>    "You okay sir?" She asked in a heavy accent, an Asian accent, miss Chu, he reminded himself, the owner of the store, her family was from Vietnam. </p><p>VIETNAM. </p><p>   The word echoes in his head.<br/>
Vietnam. Vietnam. He mumbles it to himself. Repeating it and repeating it, cause he remembers Vietnam. He doesn't understand why, but he does, he remembers Vietnam.  </p><p>"I ask if you okay sir?" </p><p>   He's not okay, he's not okay at all. He means to tell her as much, but what comes out of his mouth instead is a crazed bellow of "Dangerous criminals are molesting my boyfriend!!" Then he's back on his feet and bolting out of the store, no destination in mind, just the constant litany of 'find Klaus, find my boyfriend, save Klaus, save my boyfriend' playing in his head as he runs and runs not understanding who or where he was.  </p><p>   ________<br/>
"But wait, you need to pay for milk!!" Miss Chu calls out into the open air, the man was still dashing down the sidewalk completely oblivious to her loss in revenue he had caused her. New York was full of crazies, but she had thought her store was in a good part of town, it seemed like lately that was no longer the case. Clicking her tounge and shaking her head, Miss Chu went to grab her mop. "First the crazy guy that steal my snack aisle, now this crazy guy that throw my milk and yell all in my ear. I run a business here, how I suppose to make my money, stupid crazy man?"   </p><p> </p><p>____________________________</p><p>     Contrary to what one might think, Klaus was a romantic at heart. He loved the overdone cliches. The tales of two star-crossed lovers finding each other in unlikely, even chaotic places. He loved the kind of love that beat all odds and broke boundaries. He was a sucker for all of it. Always looking for the Romeo to his Juliet, the Bonnie to his Clyde. He'd never really found that someone, at least not yet, but he knew one day he would. Even on the worst of days, Klaus always held out hope that he'd meet his knight in shining armor, his lovely lady in waiting, his pre destined person of any gender, color or faith. Klaus really didn't care who, just as long as they were human and kind. He's been with his fair share of assholes, klaus definitely values good old fashioned kindness these days. </p><p>   He knows they'll come, he's learned to look for the signs, though he might not be too sure what exactly a sign might entail, but he's certain he'll know one when he sees one. like a total stranger rushing into the police station, sweating and panting like a lunatic, yelling about his boyfriend being "sexually harassed in that dirty jail cell!" and then paying his bail. </p><p>      Yeah, that should constitute as a sign and Klaus would be lying if he said he wasn't swooning, but can you blame him? The last guy to pay his bail had given him a black eye and a fat lip immediately after, like he said, he's known many assholes, so this absolute mad man putting a quick six hundred dollars down for klaus' freedom like it was nothing, well, he was a goddamn saint in his eyes. Klaus even felt like he knew the guy a little, a sort of Deja Vu, 'I've seen you before' kind of thing buzzing in the back of his mind. This WAS his sign, Klaus had no doubt about it now. </p><p>   Through the steel bars of his cell, he watched the man pace anxiously before storming out of the building. He was worried he might be leaving and Klaus would never know his mysterious and handsome benefactor and Oh was he handsome, not even the dim light of his cell could detract from the man's features. He was the kind of strong jawed and chiseled adonis you'd find on the front cover of a Nora Roberts novel. That's right, Klaus reads, but that's besides the fact, this guy was giving him dorkey Christen Grey vibes and Klaus was all for it. He could hardly contain his giddiness as an officer unlocked his cell and directed him to the front desk to collect his belongings.  </p><p>      "Okay, Mr Hargeeves, this is the rest of your things and please, for the love of God, don't let us see you here again." </p><p>   "Oh, but won't you miss me?" The officer who he knew as Jule, the chillest cop he's ever met, rolled her eyes, visibly suppressing a groan as she pushed the tin box with his bracelets, lighter and almost empty carton of cigarettes over to him.</p><p>   "Can't say that I will." She deadpanned.</p><p>"Hmm, and I thought I was beginning to be a regular here." </p><p>   Jule pursed her lips,"you were, now get out of here Klaus and get clean for christ sakes." She called out to him as he made his brisk exit out of the precinct. </p><p>  "I am clean! Two months clean, Jule!" </p><p>  She rolled her eyes, shaking her head in exasperation. "Mmhmm, more like two hours clean." </p><p>      Bursting out into the cool September air, Klaus breathed a deep sigh of relief; he was a free man again and it was going to be for good this time. Just like last time and the time before that. He stretched out his arms and soaked in the wide open space of the dingy, piss covered New York sidewalk. Turning to the side, he caught sight of the man leaning against the wall, his hands stuffed in the pockets of his suite pants, his sleeves rolled up and a few buttons popped on his shirt, his gaze concentrating on his black loafers. </p><p>      Klaus felt a weight lift off his shoulders, relieved that the man hadn't taken off. He smoothed out his ratty blouse and nearly held together ripped jeans and attempted to quell the insanity of his hair. He hoped he didn't look too disastrous, though he's seduced men in far worse shape before, so he was feeling rather confident if you asked him. </p><p>   "So, you're my mysterious benefactor, not that I'm ungrateful, I'm very, very grateful." He purred, sauntering closer to the man and resting a roaming hand over his chest. They were inches apart now, their breath mingling in the air between them. The man went rigid as Klaus's implications dawned on him. Klaus smirked, following the man's gaze as they landed on his lips, "Now, my solicitation days are long over, but if you were looking for a bit of repayment, I wouldn't mind-" </p><p>     "NO." Dave grabbed his wrists, holding them both in one hand, then he stopped, noticing how easily it was for them to fit in his grip. They were so thin; Klaus was so thin. His grasp loosened significantly, suddenly scared he might break them.  </p><p>  "No, I, I don't want sex from you Klaus, I mean, of course I want sex with you, but, I.. just not now, I, do...you remember me at all?" He felt like a fucking nutcase. He sure as hell looked and sounded like one. First he comes out of nowhere to bail klaus out and now he's manhandling him and asking redundant questions. </p><p>   Klaus froze as the familiar and slimy, slithering sensation of fear trickled down his spine and settled heavily in the pit of his stomach. He was alright with the little bit of rough treatment, a small bit weireded out by his reaction after, but he was definitely freaked out now, cause this guy knew his fucking name. </p><p>  "Okay, I've had some obsessive boyfriends and girlfriends, but I'm sure this counts as stalker status buddy, so, thanks for getting me out of jail, but like, let me go or I'm, I'm gonna call the cops, they're seriously just right there."- He ripped his wrists free from his grasp and made a move to sprint the hell away from this guy. He would have gotten pretty far too if he hadn't tripped over his own two damn feet, launching himself face first into the pavement. He could already feel the blood gushing from his nose as he blinked past the spots flashing in his vision. He was sore and a lot disoriented to say the least. </p><p>  "Damnit Klaus, look, I can't really explain too much, but, ah geez, you really did a number on yourself there." The man was now crouched down in front of him, pulling a handkerchief out of his pocket and firmly pressing it to his nose in an effort to stanch the bleeding. </p><p>   "Ya taak lek un oud mon." He quipped eloquently through the cloth held against his face, to which the man smirked and chuckled in response. At least he didn't seem like an angry sort of crazy, Klaus was silently counting his blessings when he got them. </p><p>  "Yeah, I get that a lot, I'm what people call an old soul." Klaus somehow felt like that was oddly fitting and he's only now just met him. Yeah, something was up here, he didn't know what, but his gut told him that this was it. Whatever 'it' was.</p><p>  "Come on, my cars over that way, let me get you patched up at home, I'll order take out and we can.. talk?, please?" He looked so hopeful and Klaus still wasn't sure which way was up or down, but he liked the idea of going somewhere warm and getting a free meal, couldn't hurt to indulge this guy for a couple hours. Hell, it wouldn't be the craziest thing he's ever done, not even close to the craziest thing he's ever done, but that's a story for another day. </p><p>  "Can I at least know your name, I feel like I deserve that much if you're taking me home." Klaus watched as his eyes widened for a moment and his cheeks grew blotchy in a bright pink blush. Yeah, Klaus thought, he was only getting away with this cause he was handsome. </p><p>"Dave, my name's Dave." Nodding his head in approval, Klaus made to follow after him, but stumbled in a sudden bout of dizziness, almost falling over again, but Dave caught him. His strong arms-Klaus could feel how strong and they were strong- circling around his shoulders in a firm grasp, his head landing on Dave's just as firm chest. Time practically stopped around them as they stood in their weird accidental embrace. It was lame and cliche and Klaus was light headed with how much he loved it, or maybe it was the blood still pouring out of his nose. </p><p>   "You okay, Klaus? Klaus?" Klaus blinked a moment, still dazed and mesmerised with- god this guy must work out regularly, his pecs were like happy little muscle pillows- "Klaus do you think you might need a hospital?" Oh, he sounded worried and Klaus did not do hospitals at all. Forcing his head up and away from his happy mucley pillows, he looked Dave in the eyes and in as much coherency he could muster.</p><p> "I'm a little bit dizzy." He admitted, his head throbbing along with the racing of his heart. Dave smiled and Klaus found himself lazily grinning along with him. </p><p>    "Yeah, I would say so, you really rattled your lights back there." Dave brought his hand to the back of his head, his fingers tangling in the curls there. His head still hurt like a bitch, but he could swear the feeling of Dave's hand, the weight of his fingers through his hair, had his pain dulling the slightest amount. </p><p>     "Do you think you can make it to the car, or do I need to hold your hand?" Dave was going for a flirty teasing tone, but it came out a tad bit too genuine and he wasn't sure if Klaus noticed, but he was alright with his answer either way. </p><p>   "I, I might need to hold your hand." Klaus was maybe exaggerating a teeny tiny bit, but he was enjoying the physical contact. He didn't get much of it, at least not the gentle, tender touches Dave was showering him with, reminding him that he liked that too. He liked gentle and Dave was so very gentle. </p><p>    "You're such a gentleman." He breathed out as he slid into the car. </p><p>    Dave had only opened the door for Klaus, who was still profusely bleeding and a bit pale in the face. </p><p>     "Well, that's just how I was raised." He felt a little awkward, most times his dates would act increasingly put upon everytime he opened a door or pulled out a chair, they would even get down right angry if he paid a bill without asking if they wanted to split it- "just cause you make more money than me doesn't mean I can't help pay for my own dinner!"-They'd rage and roar at him and he'd have to sit at the restaurant for another twenty minutes, calming them down and trying to explain that it had nothing to do with what he thought about their financial situation. </p><p>"Hmm, I don't meet a lot of gentlemen all that often, especially not around my parts of town, it's nice. Makes me feel special." Klaus closed his eyes and leaned his head back, enjoying the comfortable seats of Dave's car. </p><p> "Would you believe me if I said, your car is more comfortable than anywhere I've slept in the last five years of my life? I think I just might fall asleep." He could feel his eyes drooping and he was certain once they got on the road, he'd be done for and out like a light. </p><p>  Dave climbed into the driver's seat, brimming with pride at having made Klaus feel special, feeling special himself that Klaus even told him that, then quickly turning to said man in alarm. "Klaus, don't fall asleep, you might have a concussion." </p><p>        Klaus wrinkled his eyebrows and groaned. "I've had them before, I'll be fine." </p><p>  "That's alarming. Please, just stay awake till I get you patched up okay?" Dave almost begged, feeling completely out of his depth, if Klaus really did have a concussion, he wouldn't know what to do. </p><p>    "Alright, I can feel your worry from here, I promise you I'm gonna be alright, but I'll stay awake if it's going to keep you from getting your panties in a twist. Mind if I put some music on to help me?" Klaus really did look sleepy and Dave felt bad for keeping him up, but he would definitely feel a lot worse if he let him sleep and he suddenly slipped into a coma to never wake up again. </p><p>   "Yeah, yeah go ahead." </p><p>  Klaus smiled and turned the radio on, not really having any kind of station in mind at all, satisfied to listen to the first thing that came on. </p><p>~There's something happening here<br/>
What it is ain't exactly clear<br/>
There's a man with a gun over there<br/>
Telling me I got to beware~</p><p>   Oh, this could not be a coincidence. Dave felt like hyperventilating with how creepily ironic it was for this song to be playing at this exact moment. Somebody somewhere was trying to tell him something and Dave was thinking it meant theory three wasn't so implausible after all. </p><p>~I think it's time we stop, children, what's that sound<br/>
Everybody look what's going down~ </p><p>   Klaus was singing along now, looking every bit unbothered, unlike Dave who was shitting bricks as every verse and chord brought on a nauseating amount of nostalgia and heartache. He's seen Klaus sing this song before. When it was new and popular among them, their Troup. They sung it together, trudging through the jungle, singing one verse after the other between the two of them, cause by then they knew it by heart. </p><p> ~There's battle lines being drawn<br/>
Nobody's right if everybody's wrong<br/>
Young people speaking their minds<br/>
Getting so much resistance from behind~  </p><p>  Klaus looked over at him, no helmet, green vest or amy paint on his person, no, this was a different Klaus, but his Klaus non the less. Dave had to remind himself that he was in his car, in the twenty-first century New York City, not ninteen-sixties Vietnam. This was his Klaus and he was singing a popular ninteen-sixties protest song and he looked so carefree and content to be there with him. Dave Katz had been given a rare gift, his past life's memories in the form of a chance meeting with his soul mate. He remembers Vietnam, but he's not there anymore and neither is Klaus, he could have this life with him, the happy ending they never got. </p><p> </p><p>    "Don't be a stick in the mud, sing with me, it's an easy song and I'm not exactly Beyonce, so you don't have to worry about impressing me or anything."  </p><p>    Klaus had a valid point. Dave smiled, reassuring himself that this right here, was where they picked up from where they left off. He finally started the engine and made the drive home, he and Klaus singing to Buffalo Springfield the whole way. </p><p> </p><p>~It's time we stop, hey, what's that sound<br/>
Everybody look what's going down~</p><p>_____________________</p><p>     They had the entire rest of their lives in front of them, Dave was going to make up for all the lost time and make it to their happy ending uninterrupted this time. He just couldn't believe how lucky he was to have found Klaus again and have him here, in his car with him. Vietnam was painful, but now they could heal from it, the two of them together again; he liked the sound of that. </p><p>    It was dark, the radio having switched to a new song, Ozzy Osbourn wailing crazy train through the speakers, he and Klaus doing their best to keep up with the Rock legend's vocals.</p><p>     They stopped at a red light between an intersection, when a horn blared and two headlights emerged from the other side of the road, coming closer and closer at a terrifying speed. Time slowed as the truck made impact, hitting them from the side and sending them spinning into a nearby lamp post. His airbag engaged, forcing his head back and smashing into the headrest. His head throbbed, but he still tried to look to the side, trying to gauge Klaus' condition. </p><p>"Klaus!?, Klaus!?" </p><p>  He didn't respond, meaning he was either unconscious or..."KLAUS! KLAUS! ANSWER ME, PLEASE!" Blood seeped into his vision, he could taste the metallic tang of it in the back of his throat. He coughed and crimson splatters soaked into the white material of the air bag. It hurt to breath and his yelling was only sending that sharp pain further into his side. He thinks he punctured a lung. </p><p>  "KLAUS! please, NO. NO. NO. WAKE UP, ANSWER ME!" </p><p>     He heard the faint wail of sirens echoing in the distance. He wanted to feel hopeful, but a thick dread wrapped around him, coating every cell of his body. He tried to lift his arm, it hurt like hell, but he made it move anyway. He felt around towards the passenger seat and pushed past the center console till he found Klaus' hand. Relief washed over him, dulling his pain the smallest amount. He held onto him, lacing their fingers together and squeezing for dear life. He wished he could say it was the chill of the night or even the fact that Klaus ran cold naturally to explain why in that moment, he felt so icy to the touch. He fought the urge to check for a pulse, too scared to not find one there. Instead he rubbed his thumb in small circles over the back of his hand, breathing shallower and shallower as he filled the silence that Klaus wasn't able to do so himself. </p><p>     "You know, I never thought I'd meet you again. When I, di-died in Vietnam, I thought I lost my chance to ever see you again. I promised you a farm on the countryside, with five cows and sixteen chickens. We were going to adopt a puppy and vacation in the Caribbean. When I got shot, all I could think was, 'wow, I'm such a horrible guy, all of my promises mean nothing now.' The last thing I saw was your devastated face, crying for me to stay with you. It wasn't till the very last second before I passed on, that I knew we'd meet again. All I wanted, klaus, was to give you the life I promised you. I was going to do that now, the moment I got you home, I was going to give you every last one of those promises and more." His vision narrowed further and further, till it was like seeing through a straw and through that small space, he could just barely make out the flash of red and blue lights. His chest constricted violently and his eyes closed the rest of the way, he just wished he could have moved his head past the airbag to see Klaus one more time before he past on again and as morbid as the thought was, he hoped to god that Klaus didn't wake up too, that he didn't have to see him die again and instead they could meet up in the afterlife. </p><p>      Outside, paramedics stood by as firemen worked to pry the mangled mess of Dave's car apart and retrieve them out of it. An hour later and their bodies were loaded up onto gurneys, they were pronounced dead on site, their souls standing hand in hand on the sidewalk, watching as they were zipped up into body bags. </p><p>  "Geeze and I really thought heroine was gonna do me in." Klaus looked over to Dave, his Spector staring back at him in horror. </p><p>"KLAUS!" </p><p>   "What? I really did, I'm surprised you found me before an overdose." Klaus shook his head as if Dave was the inappropriate one.</p><p>Dave huffed, never finding a moment that he wasn't endured by the quite literally free spirit next to him, "Please don't joke about something like that, we literally just died sweetheart."</p><p>  "I'm tempted to further argue with you on this, but you called me sweetheart and now I'm all jellyfied and want to make sweet, sweet ghostly love with you." </p><p>     Dave chuckled, "Come on Klaus, we gotta find the nearest gate so we can do this whole thing over again."- he said, pulling Klaus to follow him down the sidewalk. </p><p>   Klaus pouted, staying stubbornly rooted in his spot, "Can't we just hang out for a while?" </p><p>     He shook his head, "We don't have the time darlin, these gates don't stay in one place for very long and you know from experience that the longer you stay here, the less you'll remember in the next life." </p><p>   "Yeah, I know. I, I just don't want to have to forget you again. I mean you're already here, why do we have to leave so soon?", Klaus whined.</p><p>   Dave sighed, a sad yet sweet smile on his face as he cupped Klaus' cheeks and pressed their foreheads together. "I don't want to forget you either Klaus, but God gave us only a thousand go arounds and who knows what life we're on now. We gotta get it right or else she'll never give you an afterlife." </p><p>   Klaus closed his eyes, he might have been a spirit but he could still cry, his eyes welling up in tears as he leaned against his soulmate. Dave pulled Klaus into a tight embrace, holding him against his chest and wishing for a way to take all the pain he was feeling away. "It's okay, we can do this Klaus, I know we can." </p><p>  Klaus just shook his head, pulling out of his grip to look Dave in the eye. "I just feel like I'm holding you back. You've died so many times when you could be in paradise now, resting and at eternal peace, but-" </p><p>    "But nothing Klaus, I will die as many times as I need to until I know that the day I go for good, you'll be coming with me and staying. I'd rather do this for eternity then have an eternity without you." </p><p>     Klaus blinked, his spirit feeling warm with the resolution in Dave's voice. His eyes dried up and an equally determined smile spread across his face. "Then what are we waiting for, let's find that gate and let God know we're getting a lot better at this." </p><p>   Dave grinned back at him, ruffling a hand in his hair, "That's my boy." </p><p>    Together, they walked through the city in search of the nearest gate to transport them back to their starting point, heaven.<br/>
_____________</p><p>END.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hopeful but open ending, I'm sorry I keep hurting them but I'm a sucker for the angst. If you read voodoo child and saw some similaraties in these, then you saw right, cause I wrote this before I finished (am still finishing, who am I kidding?) Voodoo child and wasn't certain if I would post it or not, so I took a little bit of insperation from it. Was a little worried they might seem too similar.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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